@TheOtherview; You have a Herculean task ahead burnishing Buhari's image.Don't envy you.
But better equip yourself by accepting the reality that Buhari has not kept track with global politics since IBB shoved him aside.
I think you fail to understand that this on-going desecration of our public intellectual space, by a youthful population that is largely untutored, does us all a great disservice in the end. This is not about burnishing Buhari's image, as you wrongly put it, but proving to the rest of the world that we are not all jaded imb.eciles who are incapable of basic fact-checking.
While there is absolutely nothing wrong with providing an opposing view on the current realities, it is morally reprehensible to continue distorting tangible events; just to satisfy the whims and caprices of out-of-favour politicians.
President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja for South Africa on Saturday, June 13, to attend the 25th African Union Summit in Johannesburg. TA
His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said this in a statement on Friday.
“President Buhari is scheduled to undertake his first continental assignment since taking office by chairing a meeting of the Peace and Security Committee of the African Union during the summit.
PROTOCOL GUIDELINES AND ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR The 30th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Council of the African Union, 07-08 June 2015;
The 27th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, 10-12 June 2015;
The 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union 14-15 June 2015
The Executive Council Composed of Ministers or Authorities designated by the Governments of Members States. The Executive Council coordinates and takes decisions on policies in areas of common interest to the Member States. It is responsible to the Assembly. It shall consider issues referred to it and monitor the implementation of policies formulated by the Assembly.
Functions of the Executive Council
a) Prepare the sessions of the Assembly; b) Determine the issues to be submitted to the Assembly for decision; c) Coordinate and harmonize the policies, activities and initiatives of the Union in the areas of common interest to Member States; d) Monitor the implementation of the policies, decisions and Agreements adopted by the Assembly; e) Elect the Commissioners to be appointed by the Assembly, as well as members of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; f) Promote cooperation and coordination with the RECs, the African Development Bank (ADB), other African Institutions and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); g) Determine policies for cooperation between the Union and Africa’s partners, and ensure that all activities and initiatives regarding Africa are in line with the objectives of the Union; h) Consider the structure, functions and Statutes of the Commission and make recommendations thereon to the Assembly; i) Ensure the promotion of gender equality in all programmes of the Union
barcanista: We are happy that the FG has listened to the voice of reasoning by re-opening the case against Timpre Sylva. By God's grace we shall continue with the advocacy.
^^^Purveyor of tittle-tattle, the best way to help your cause is to apprise unfolding events in a truthful manner.
Mr. Uwujaren said no proof of evidence was placed before the court and trial had also not commenced.
He said, “the dismissal of the charge by Justice Mohammed, following the application of the Commission to consolidate the charges against the former governor and his accomplices, does not amount to a discharge or an acquittal, and it does not preclude the power of the agency to bring fresh charges against the defendants.”
calebo101: Before those APC slaves open their gutter to spill rubbish they should know that this is the effect of sound opposition at play.
Buhari just thinks he can do as he wishes but he's slowly being reminded that this is democracy. He tried it by banning AIT initially before he rescinded the decision. Now he tried it again by quashing sylvia's corruption charges but public outcry has pressured him again.
Congrats to the opposition both offline and on social media down to nairaland. I'm sure the 700 naira per day APC paid hacks read the information from nigerians here and pass it on to Buhari then he acts likewise.
Congrats Barcanista, chief tormentor of APC on nairaland. More ink to your biro .
Here is one who is bent on arrogating the kind of moral rectitude he simply does not possess, to himself. Ah well; he fits in well, right here on NL.
The Great Betrayal Open Letter To Gani Adams (Part I)
June 12, 2015
The purported assassination attempt on the life of Gani Adams should be dismissed as one of his usual propaganda tactics to attract public attention, and should not be given any serious thought. However, for the benefit of the uninformed public, we wish to put a lie to Gani Adams cooked-up story and to show him for the fraud and traitor that he is.
In 2007, Gani Adams made a similar allegation of an attempt on his life when he was questioned about the squandering of OPC funds. As dedicated members and leaders, we challenged him to put the money to judicious use. Rather than taking to our advice, a few of us were tagged 10 million boys by Gani Adams, alleging that we wanted to kill him after we asked about the money, and he could not account for it. A week later, he publicly revealed in the presence of thousands of members that he cooked-up the allegation against us and went further to announce a plan to use the money in question to build one hotel each in all the states of the South West.
Today, Adams has again resorted to his familiar tactics of laying false assassination allegations against innocent people.
In January 1999 Gani Adams alleged that Dr. Fasehun in conjunction with Lady B was given N20 million to influence the OPC in order to give the transition to civil rule support. On this note, he started a campaign against Fasehun, alleging that Fasehun, unilateral decision to sell the OPC was because there was nobody to check Fasehun actions.
In furtherance of his mischievous plan, a press briefing was held at the Isheri“Idimu Town Hall where Adams was named Deputy Coordinator to Fasehun. On March 1, Fasehun was removed through a palace coup led and coordinated by Gani Adams at Olushoga Street, Mushin where a dearly beloved and dedicated female member life was lost. Many others would later lose their lives afterwards under Gani Adams tyrannical watch.
The reasons behind the coup then were that Fasehun was taking the OPC into politics and which he was opposed to, but as it turned out, Adams is the greatest beneficiary of that move. Today, Gani has done worse than what Fasehun did in 1999, and we want to remind him of our slogan, which says, Eni pe ka wa dibo, Yemoja lo ma pa meaning whver asks us to vote will be killed by the water goddess, Yemoja.” Adams, if your memory is short, we have not forgotten.
As to the purported dismissals of cadres like Comrade Rasak Balogun (Saddam) Amusa Musiliu Adeshina (BIGGY), Adeshina Akinpelu, Ranti Akande (Otepa) and others, we make bold to say that Adams was only making noise as he lacks the capacity to do so. In case Adams’s short memory has deserted him again, let us remind him that when in 1999, Fasehun announced his (Adams) expulsion due to the rebellion; Adams categorically told Fasehun that the former coordinator lacked the locus standi to expel him since Fasehun did not induct or initiate him into the Congress. He went further to inform Fasehun that they were equals since the induction process was the same for all members, whether as leaders or within the rank and file.
Rasak Balogun that is now being accused, vilified and witch-hunted by Adams were the one he instigated to challenge Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the first-year anniversary of MKO Abiola death at Abiola Ikeja residence.
Months later, Adams instructed the same Rasak Balogun to disrupt the Lagos State Governor (Tinubu) official commissioning of the Health Centre at Somulu. The simple reason given was that by doing so, Tinubu would be put under pressure, thereby making him more pliable for milking and extortion.
Gani Adams bloated ego has seen him turn upon the traditional institution. He has insulted a number of traditional rulers, including the Oba of Lagos simply because he was awarded a ˜contract™ in Abuja. Adams needs to remember that when he was declared wanted and later arrested, it was the traditional rulers whom OPC turned to and championed his release. Specifically, it was the Oba of Oworoshoki and Odi “ Olowo (Mushin) that stood surety when your bail bond was to be signed. The support of these two Obas was facilitated by the same Saddam and Biggy that he is today vilifying. The institutions which saved him, and which we were trained to honor are now being desecrated by the same Adams. He should also remember that Tinubu was a sitting governor by then, which means that if he had a grouse with him or was not sympathetic to his cause, the bail condition might be denied or made more stringent.
In summary, Adams must step down from the leadership of the OPC for the following reasons; [b]1. Adams has no moral right to continue as the leader as he has committed worse offences than the ones that he accused Fasehun of, and, which eventually led to the coup against Fasehun, even though the allegations against Fasehn remained unsubstantiated.
2. Since there has been a precedent in terms of leadership change within the organization, there can be no claim of leader-in- perpetuity.”
3. If Adams truly loves the Congress and its members, he should avoid the scenario of 1999 and the violence and the needless waste of innocent lives that followed Fasehun refusal to accept the inevitable change that championed then.
4. The so-called pipeline contract which Adams has been promoting is actually a fraud as it was signed in the name of Adams, his wife, son and younger brother, thus hijacking the OPC Commonwealth for his immediate family, and personal favor. The same gs for a dubious empowerment program in which OPC members were told to submit account details but for which there has been nothing forthcoming. We are therefore reminding him that ‘you can’t fool all the people all the time.’
5. The piece of land on which the OPC began its meetings at Olusoga Street, Mushin and which had been acquired for its symbolic role in the formation of the OPC has been coveted by Adams. Adams claimed that he acquired the land for N25 million, a claim that is far from the truth. The land was acquired by the Congress through Baba Augusto of Ojuelegba/ Lawanson area, Lagos about 10 years ago. Today Gani Adams is claiming sole ownership of the land.
6. His frequent resort to violence, physical ntimidation, character assassination and a times murder must be brought to a halt. The memories of the likes of Rev. Adesokun Makinde, Shada, the late Comrade Alaka of Ibadan and many oothers,including very recently the people he tagged the 10 million boys and its divisive tendencies required that Adams must step down.
7. During the last OPC Hers Day, the widows of our fallen comrades numbering not less than 100 in attendance were deemed not worth more than N2, 000 each with a piece of Ankara material worth N1,000, while Adams bought a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser jeep worth about N18 million from Elizade Motors, Anthony Village, Lagos for his wife. The question is, ds our fallen hers and their spouses not deserve better? And by what means can the wife of one-member claim to be more superior to that of another?
8. It is also note-worthy to mention that while thousands of OPC members are being told lies, impoverished and denied their dues, Gani Adams is busy acquiring choice properties all over the place, the latest being two palatial mansions worth almost 200 million naira each at Omole phase II GRA, Lagos with one of the said mansions located on Dipo Odujinrin Avenue, Omole GRA Phase II, Isheri, Ikeja, Lagos.[/b]
In conclusion, the National Coordinating Council of the Oodua Peoples Congress hereby call on Gani Adams to honorably vacate the office of Coordinator as the teeming members of the OPC has lost confidence in his leadership. We were a revered group by our Yoruba brothers and sisters here at home and in the Diaspora. Today, we are seen as hoodlums and hired thugs in the hands of reactionary elements. We want to rebuild our organization and take back our position of pride among the Yoruba Socio-Cultural organizations.
OODUA A GBE WA O. SIGNED BY: RASAK BALOGUN For National Coordinating Council Of The Oodua Peoples Congress
HungerBAD: I am a die hard Buhari/Apc fan. But on Femi Gbajabiamila, APC got it wrong, the man is a criminal, with a criminal record in the United States and in a sane society he should not even contest for any elective position.
This was the same thing Ibori did in his time, with a criminal record in the UK. I blame INEC, as it it their duties to properly vet candidates so we are not surprised with surprises in the future. Why is INEC allocated billions of Naira, if they can not properly get answers about candidates a simple google search could have brought up?
That was how an hostel mate of mine, that was kicked out of the University for forging his WAEC result, ended up a Deputy Speaker in one of the Southern States, i was left scratching my head if the people of that State or INEC is even serious at all.
Femi Gbajabiamila has no option than to accept defeat.
Care to substantiate the emboldened portion of your post with proof?
... ... 3. Upon receipt of the letter from the Bar, I immediately travelled to Atlanta to find out what had gone wrong. Upon discovery of what had happened and being unable to trace the paralegal, I found myself in a bind as the disciplinary committee insisted I had violated rule 1.15 of Georgia Professional conduct pertaining to safe keeping, co-mingling of funds and allowing others to handle clients money. I accepted full responsibility and was sanctioned with a suspension. Had i anything to hide, i would not have gone back to Atlanta to clear all the issues. 4. This was a matter of not complying with strict ethical rules. At no time was i tried by any court for any criminal offence as it was never such. Attached is a letter from the State Bar of Georgia and paragraph 2 is very instructive. It should be noted that the Supreme Court of Georgia is vested with jurisdiction over professional ethics cases. 5. As evidenced in the attached letter, i am eligible to practise law in Georgia and remain in good standing. A convict can NEVER be eligible to practise law in the United States! 6.On the issue of change of name, my family has always used the names Gbajabiamila and Gbaja interchangeably. For me, Gbaja was a lot easier for pronounciation in a foreign country and Gbajabiamila was more desirable for my adventure into politics for the purposes of name recognition. Any suggestion that i changed my name to avoid being traced smacks of desperation to make a baseless allegation stick. Indeed i have maintained Gbaja as my facebook name and other documents including my international passport. 7. It should be noted that by law 33 percent of sums recovered is the legal fees charged by a US attorney for personal injury cases. Therefore the amount was 25000 less 33percent legal fees. No sane person would put his legal or political career in jeopardy for that.
Don’t comment, identify with June 12, Afenifere tells Kingibe
June 12, 2015
The Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG, a pan-Yoruba socio-political group, has described the ‘June 12 struggle’ as an albatross for those who betrayed its cause, particularly Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.
The group, in a statement released on Thursday by its publicity secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, said Kingibe, who, some days ago, reportedly wants the “ghost of June 12 laid to rest” on account of APC’s victory in the last presidential election, has an antecedent that disqualifies him from commenting on or identifying with the success of a democratic campaign.
“As the vice-president elect, Kingibe ought to be the captain of the ship for the June 12 struggle when Chief M.K.O Abiola was arrested but he was the first to jump ship.
“ARG understands that Kingibe may have missed being in the corridors of power and may be itching to have a voice that could be reckoned with as credible – therefore, his wish to have June 12 ‘laid to rest’.
“Kingibe’s undemocratic and treacherous antecedents disqualify him from commenting on or identifying with the success of a democratic campaign.
“Instead of wishing that June 12 be forgotten, it is better for him to retrace his steps and purge himself of ethnocentric perspectives.
“June 12 will forever be a watershed in Nigeria’s annals because it endued Nigerians with a consciousness that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.
“It has, over the years, evolved into an unwritten code of judgement against those who monger power to nurture selfish ambitions, suppress the people, or enhance ethnocentric bigotry. June 12 ensured that such people will always have their place in a dishonourable section of history.”
The statement said June 12 successfully hoisted the flag of democracy in Nigeria and each positive step that Nigeria takes towards good governance, true federalism, and concrete nationhood will continue to haunt those who played their part in subverting its cause.
ARG urges the new administration to formally recognise the June 12 mandate and honour those who lost their lives to that struggle.
omenka: Wow. Dude listed himself as one of the young Nigerians to influence the outcome of elections in the country. How much more conceited can one get??
To be candid, I see TANoids touting the same inordinate estimate of their own true abilities all the time The problem is not that they actually take themselves seriously but rather that Nairaland's editorial policy (in)advertently encourages poor reporting standards.
We've had similar discussions about the undue weight given to news originating from barely disguised propaganda-outlets like HopeForNigeria, in the past...
Kairoseki77: There seems to be a pattern on NL. A fully sourced article will grace the front page, generate a lot of traffic, and then a few days later UNSOURCED and CONTRADICTORY claims will hit the front page.
This is confusing to many people. Prime example, is the letter writing saga.
A sourced thread quoted an article in Vanguard. That article contained the contents of Iyabos letter to OBJ. It hit the front page and about 97% of us believed it to be accurate.
A few days later, an UNSOURCED and uncomfirmed post claimed that Iyabo did not author that letter to her father.
We were all confused, and it took a few days to sort out the truth. Nairaland created national confusion, single-handedly, by pushing that unsourcred thread to the Front Page.
There have been even worse instances where threads are "jokes", but presented as truth just to gain views. I am thinking of the Ngige crying over 2bn thread, and Lagbaja removing his mask. Many people STILL believe those threads were truthful.
Shockingly, this pattern is repeating itself again with this latest Oduah scandal.
A story hits the front page with multiple sources and several media outlets are reporting the story. All of us believe the accusations are true.
Then an UNSOURCED and UNCOMFIRMED thread hits the front page, that is completely contradictory. I am of course talking about this post: ========================================================================================= theoctopus: B-R-E-A-K-I-N-G News!!! Senate Releases Stella Oduah's CV. The Nigerian Senate have released the Curriculum Vitae (Resume) which Princess Stella Oduah the Aviation Minister used in securing her appointment. According to the release, they confirm that the Aviation Minister's CV was in line with her claims, against what some media outfits have been writing in the last few days. They warned that the online news outlets Sahara Reporters and Premium Times should stop giving out false and malicious information that might lead to breakdown of law and order. Sahara reporters have already accepted misleading Nigerians and still refuse to apologize for their malicious allegations and frivolous claims.
From the very beginning, that person claimed to have gotten their information directly from a public Senate Statement. It was an obvious lie when I first saw the thread, because the pictures of Oduah's CV that OP posted had a very prominent PREMIUM TIMES logo on it. I didnt take the thread serious, and expected it would be deleted as trash. Now it seems that OP figured out that the GIANT PREMIUM TIMES LOGO, was a dead giveaway that they didnt get the CV from the Senate, so they changed it. They downloaded the CV from the Premium Times website (where it doesn't have a logo), and reuploaded it to Nairaland. Hilariously, they decided to photochop a pic of Stella' face onto the resume.
Lets be clear.
1. The Senate is on vacation until January 14th. It is IMPOSSIBLE for them to have released anything.
2. OP did not list a single person from the senate that released it. WHO FROM THE SENATE GAVE OP ODUAH's resume? It might have just as well been ghosts.
3. OP claims (quite fraudulently) that the Senate released a "statement". (Where is this statement, has anyone seen it?)
4. OP claims that the Senate "confirm[ed] that the Aviation Minister's CV was in line with her claims, against what some media outfits have been writing in the last few days. They warned that the online news outlets Sahara Reporters and Premium Times should stop giving out false and malicious information that might lead to breakdown of law and order." SINCE THIS "SENATE'S STATEMENT" DOESNT EXIST, THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE.
5. OP's only source is the facebook page of some random PDP fan site. Where is this Senate Statement?
6. From what I can tell, there is no mention of Oduah AT ALL on that Facebook page. (Apparently I missed it, see below) Can anyone find where they mentioned what OP claimed? (Thanks eGuerilla) In fact, I think that post was WRITTEN by the owner of that Facebook page, and that they included the link to their facebook page as a PROMOTION and not as a source. Did any mod even click on the link to verify OP's claims?
Anyway, I was SHOCKED to see that thread on the front page today. It is an obvious fraud. The question I have, is what are the standards this website uses?
I am not a fan of Sincere9gerian, but he always uses sources, so I respect him. When other's on the politics section discuss issues, we like to use SOURCED articles to bash each other. When I post threads, I always use a source. Personally, this level of yeye journalism is against the politics section culture, and should be stopped. If we cant trust NL, then what is the point? The Senate has not released any statement.
Lastly, let us all wait until the government resumes on Jan 14, when the investigation into Oduah will formally start. These unsourced, and uncomfirmed, claims from the "Nigerian Senate" (which is currently on vacation) will most likely be exposed as fraudulent. In the mean time, this concerned Nigerian would like to know what determines whether or not a thread is front page worthy. Thanks and good day.
Beremx: Ohimai Godwin Amaize owns thebreakingtimes.com. He is the S.A media to Obanikoro and he's popularly called Mr. Fix It. He's on Facebook with that name.
^^^I have been watching his antics for some time now.
Ohimai Godwin Amaize (born 1984)[1] was the Special Assistant (Advocacy) to Bolaji Abdulahi, the former Nigerian Minister of Sports.[2] In 2010, Ohimai became the youngest presidential campaign manager in modern democratic history. He inspired many Nigerian youths to become involved in the Nigerian political process for the first time.[1] During his undergraduate studies at the University of Ibadan, Ohimai engaged in social advocacy.[3][4]
Career[edit] Ohimai is also an ambassador for Microsoft Internet Safety, Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN), where he has worked to encourage Nigerian youths to shun cyber crime and scam through the B.L.I.N.G. project.[5][6]
Ohimai is known for his "social change advocacy" and public office work. He has worked with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Nigeria. He is a member of the political party People's Democratic Party (PDP). Joining PDP has drawn surprises amongst observers and associates.[7][8]
In November 2012, Ohimai was appointed Board member, Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM), the body charged by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Sports Commission (NSC) to enhance talent identification and sports development at the grassroots, especially in Secondary Schools. He is the Board Secretary of NASCOM.[9]
In April, 2014, Ohimai announced via his Twitter account that he has been confirmed as SA (Media & Strategy) to the Minister of State for Defence, Nigeria, Musiliu Obanikoro. This when combined with his role as the Pastor of The Underground, a Christian nightclub in Abuja will certainly be a handful for him. [10]
Ohimai was listed as one of twelve young Nigerians who will influence the 2015 General Elections in Nigeria in a recent article by Breaking Times. His political views which are often met with harsh criticism on Twitter usually command the attention of both the older and younger generations. Notable in the list are Blossom Nnodim and Chude Jideonwo [11]
However, once the APC leaders got wind of the PDP decision, a meeting was immediately scheduled for 9am at the International Conference Centre, just one hour ahead of the time that the National Assembly was supposed to be inaugurated. Meanwhile, since the president had already transmitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly the proclamation order and did not withdraw it, Mark and Ekweremadu, experienced in such matters (with sufficient clout to put pressure on the Clerk) knew the APC Senators were misreading the rule of the game by staying away from their inaugural session on the pretext of holding a party meeting elsewhere. To worsen matters, attempts were made to use the police to prevent the National Assembly members from entering the premises. Who gave the directive is still a matter of speculations but it only infuriated the PDP Senators who rallied behind Saraki who had also got some of his APC senate colleagues to attend the session. By 6am, Saraki was already inside the National Assembly premises.
10am on the dot, the Clerk of the National Assembly commenced the session for the election of principal officers in the Senate. With Lawan and several of his APC colleagues still marooned at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Saraki was nominated for the post of Senate President and since he was unopposed and there were enough senators to make a simple majority, there was no contest. By the time the APC leaders and the senators (who were still expecting the president to arrive the ICC) realised the futility of their action, it was all over. Many of course rushed back to the National Assembly only to meet Saraki holding the gavel as the Senate President.
However, in what is perhaps a clear pointer that there are testy days ahead, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, yesterday accused both the Clerk of the National Assembly and Saraki of snubbing President Buhari’s request that the time of the inauguration be shifted forward in order for the meeting with the APC lawmakers to hold.
“I am talking about the Clerk, Governor Saraki, the key characters in all of these (who) had sufficient information directly or indirectly coming to them that the President will be meeting the party members and the party chairman was present on the ground. Assumption would have been that every loyal and committed party member would have presented themselves to the party and to their President. That did not happen yesterday (Tuesday)”, said Shehu.
The presidential spokesman, who was on ‘Sunrise Daily’, a morning programme on Channels TV, said while 51 APC Senators chose to respect the president by going to the ICC for the scheduled meeting, some others deliberately stayed away.
“The party had begun a process and concluded it and some of these actors were part of that process. They knew what had happened. There was a shadow election of some sort. It is clear that there was nothing accidental in all of these things that happened. There was a shadow election in which leaders were chosen on the platform of the political party and it was complete. There was no doubt about it,” he said.
With such statement coming from a presidential spokesman, the days ahead are definitely worrying for the ruling party and its relationship with the National Assembly.
However, to put what happened in proper context, we have to go back to the origin of the APC. The party is an amalgam of politicians with disparate interests and from different camps whose main agenda was to wrest control of power (and government) from then incumbent, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Each of the principal actors had his/her own grouse against Jonathan and they all came together with their individual ambitions.
For instance, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was pursuing his long-running presidential ambition just as the former Kano Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was. In the meantime, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was positioning himself to be running mate to Buhari while Saraki never disguised his ambition to be Senate President should the APC win.
However, following the emergence of Buhari as the APC candidate, Saraki ganged up with others like former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Kwankwaso and Atiku to block the emergence of Tinubu as Buhari’s running mate.
Whatever the other misgivings, that was the beginning of Tinubu’s antagonism towards the idea of Saraki’s emergence as Senate President. But there are other forces that moved against the former Kwara State Governor.
I understand that some of the people close to Buhari were also not comfortable with the idea of Saraki as Senate President. Aside seeing him as an ambitious politician who could possibly have an eye on the 2019 presidency, there is also the allegation that before the election, Saraki was hedging his bets. As the story goes, Saraki was the first person sounded out to be the Director General of Buhari’s presidential campaign but he cleverly turned it down on the pretext that he would prefer to play a role that would give him the latitude to reach out to all sides of the APC divides, apparently with his own ambition in mind.
What the foregoing shows clearly is that the APC leaders that are talking about party discipline are simply being hypocritical. APC was more a special purpose vehicle to get power than any cohesive group of men and women sharing the same vision. That explains why just a few minutes after the party’s national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, issued a scathing statement about Saraki and Dogara, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who is being slated to chair the APC Board of Trustees would congratulate them. Meanwhile, the president himself has accepted the outcome as a fait accompli.
Even before the latest fiasco, the contradictions within the APC are all there to see. For instance, Dr. Samuel Ortom was a minister in President Jonathan’s cabinet who contested and lost the PDP gubernatorial ticket, crossed over to the APC, secured its gubernatorial ticket and is today a governor on the platform of the party. Ditto for Senator Barnabas Gemade, a former PDP National Chairman whose senatorial ticket was taken away from him by former Governor Gabriel Suswan. He simply moved to the APC where he was handed the party’s ticket with which he defeated Suswan. There are hundreds of such cases across the country today which then means that the APC has a lot of work to do before it can be a party of shared ideals.
However, to the extent that Dogara’s deputy is from the APC, the problem in the House of Representatives will be easier to resolve. But how does APC reconcile itself to the fact that the Deputy Senate President is from another party? Saraki himself must be in a quandary over the choices he made. How do those colleagues of his who were backing him feel now that their candidate has practically been taken over by the opposition party? Dealing with these issues in the days and possibly weeks ahead will not be easy either for Saraki or the APC.
On the day of the election of Speaker, there was drama. The moment the SDP nominated its candidate for the office, a member from the NRC nominated another SDP member to be Speaker and he went on to win on the strength of his own vote added to that of the 12 NRC members. As it would happen, the said SDP member had done a deal with the NRC by trading away the position of Deputy Speaker.
By Monday night, at the end of what was the third PDP meeting in Mark’s house, it was the second option that was adopted. But with 32 of the 49 PDP Senators coming from the South-east and South-south, there was a strong argument at the meeting that Lawan, most favoured by Mark, holds extreme views when it comes to the issue of North and South.
“He is, in fact, seen as a northern irredentist. From the PIB debate to confirmation of appointments to state of emergency and insurgency debates, Lawan employs hurtful, arrogant, and clearly divisive dictions”, said a returning Senator from the South-east. That gave Saraki a huge advantage.
However, the biggest odd against Saraki was that he had long-running ego issues with Mark who considers him arrogant and disrespectful. There was also an argument at the meeting that supporting Saraki by PDP would be like rewarding bad behavior since he was one of the people who brought the party down.
However, Ekweremadu argued in Saraki’s favour that he is more cosmopolitan and nationalistic in his approach to issues. A PDP Senator also told Mark that even if Saraki was a prodigal son, he was at least once a member of the family, hence it would be easier to work with him than with someone like Lawan who had never been a member of PDP in the last 16 years of his membership of National Assembly (eight years in the House and eight in the Senate).
So, even before the PDP Senators began to cast their mock ballots, it had been concluded that with Lawan being the choice of the APC, it was more pragmatic to go with Saraki who had been sounded out and had agreed to run with a PDP man for the office of Deputy Senate President. The choice of Ekweremadu was also strategic because, being very close to Mark, that helped to douse whatever ill-feeling the former Senate President may harbour against Saraki. There was also a strong anti-Tinubu sentiment at the meeting as many of the Senators argued that a vote for Lawan would be a vote for the APC National Leader. It was the same sentiment that was employed against Gbajabiamila in the House of Representatives.
With the mock poll conducted among the PDP Senators while Mark and Ekweremadu abstained, Saraki polled 28 votes and Lawan secured 17 votes. By this time, the acting PDP National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus and Metuh, who were practically in Mark’s house throughout Monday, had entered the fray to seal the decision of the Senators as that of the party. And Saraki was brought into the meeting where he agreed to offer the position of Deputy Senate President to the PDP, specifically to Ekweremadu.
Olusegun Adeniyi: Saraki, Dogara and APC’s ‘naivety’
June 11, 2015
Following the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and House of Representatives’ Speaker respectively on Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, released a cynical statement, telling the All Progressives Party (APC) to “stop whining and accept the will of the people, respect the independence of the legislature, as the PDP is not responsible for their naivety and crass inexperience.”
I believe that the APC leaders will do well to heed that admonition.
The statement released after the party had been out-snookered by Saraki and Dogara was to say the least, very disappointing. Such disposition is not in any way helpful to their cause or that of President Muhammadu Buhari. To imagine that the person you needed to truncate a legally convened legislative session is the Inspector General of Police rather than the Clerk of the National Assembly was poor judgement. And not following on what was happening within the PDP camp was a sign that the APC leaders still need to learn the ropes when it comes to high-wire politics in Abuja.
The night before the election, 47 PDP Senators had gathered at the Apo Legislative Quarters’ residence of the immediate past Senate President David Mark to present to him three options.
Option one: Exploit the division within the rank of the APC by sponsoring Mark to contest for the office of Senate President. The argument was that by the Senate rule, all that a winner needed was a simple majority and since neither of the two APC contenders (Ahmed Lawan and Bukola Saraki) would likely step down for the other, Mark would get more votes. The reasoning was that once that happened, Mark could take the gavel. The only thing the APC could do in such situation would be to go to court. But Mark declined the offer.
Option two: Conduct a mock poll among themselves (the PDP Senators in attendance) on who between the two APC candidates, (Ahmed Lawan and Bukola Saraki) they should back but with the proviso that PDP would produce the Deputy Senate President. That was something they were not prepared to negotiate.
Option three: Nominate another Senator in APC and give him their block vote in what would amount to divide and rule.
This option three has a precedent. A similar scenario played out at the Cross River State House of Assembly in 1991 during the transition to civil rule programme of General Ibrahim Babangida when there were two political parties, the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). While Mr. Clement Ebri of the NRC won the gubernatorial election, his party secured only 12 of the 25 seats in the House of Assembly with the SDP winning the remaining 13.
musabuhari: i read this comment from somewhere and it saddens my heart very much Walahi.i support Buhari for not hand shaking German Chancellor because he is a true Believer ...
this comment below is not good by Nigerians
"Buhari looks a bit Timid and Ungentle manly Standing beside German Chancellor Merkel with that funny sunshade Glass and a smirk . He need to improve His sociable skills if Nigeria Hopes to make any Head way in her Foreign Policy this his gruesome looking smirk is capable of Jeopardizing Nigeria German relation"
Repeat after me: the devil is a liar.
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is greeted by Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel during a welcome ceremony upon arrival at the Elmau Castle near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, on June 8, 2015 ...
Exclusive Video: Tinubu Reaction Moment He Heard Of Saraki’s Emergence As Senate President
June 9, 2015 at 1:22 pm
The Paradigm has obtained an exclusive video of a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu moment he heard his arch-rival Senator Bukola Saraki representing Kwara Central emerged as Senate President.
Asiwaju Tinubu alongside Chief Bisi Akande, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and several other party chieftains gathered at the International Conference Centre Abuja with Senators of the Unity Forum to hold a meeting on the way forward on who becomes the Senate President.
Unknown to them, The Saraki Like Mind APC Senators group had held a meeting with the senators elected on the platform of the PDP to storm the National Assembly early in the morning, rather than attend the reconciliation meeting.
While Tinubu and the Unity Forum APC Senators were waiting for others to arrives, Senator Saraki and some other 56 senators gathered to elect him as senate president.
Tinubu immediately stormed out of meeting telling The Paradigm and other reporters gathered at the ICC that he has no comments.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted Senator Bukola Saraki for the position of Senate President. In the same vein, the PDP has adopted Hon. Yakubu Dogara for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The party therefore urges its senators and members-elect in the National Assembly to act accordingly,” the PDP statement read.
In a bid to counter the move, the APC early this morning invited all APC senators-elect and members-elect for a meeting with the president who has just arrived from his successful trip to Germany where he attended the G7 meeting.
The APC statement issued by 6.24 a.m. on Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed says “The President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari will address all Senators and House of Representatives elect of the All Progressives Congress at 9 am this morning Tuesday the 9th of June at the International Conference Centre Abuja. All concerned must endeavour to attend this meeting.”
To beat the trick by the party leadership however, the Saraki supporters along with all PDP senators went into the Senate chamber for their inauguration, having formed a quorum of simple majority. Saraki and Ekweremadu were subsequently elected and sworn in by the Clerk of the national assembly.
8th National Assembly: Buhari Orders Proclamation As APC Consensus Plan For Senate Presidency Collapses
President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a letter of proclamation of the 8th National Assembly to the Clerk, Salihu Maikasuwa.
He directed the Clerk of the National Assembly to convene the new session on Tuesday 9, June 2015.
National Assembly sources hinted FrontiersNews that Buhari’s proclamation was received on Wednesday 3rd June.
This is just as protests marred the move by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to adopt a consensus candidate for the position of the Senate Presidency.
REVEALED: How Saraki was elected as the Senate President
The National Assembly at exactly 10: 00am commenced the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly with the reading of the proclamation letter from President Muhammadu Buhari by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasua for the inauguration.
The former governor of Kwara state was nominated by Sani Yarima, former governor of Zamfara state. Dino Melaye, from Kogi state, seconded his nomination.
You don't even have to write anything to defend yourself. Thirteen lines and the amanuensis is gasping for breath. These thirteen souvenir, evergreen lines have done everything.
There is no gainsaying that omonnakoda's piece locates PointB's earlier rant as the stuff of playground
PointB, no be fight o... I am too busy at the moment for e-pugilism
But eh, you cannot knock the hustle of a quintessential hustler. omonnakoda takes the home run in this battle of wits
You look nay you stare with disdainful glare So you cannot see but project with hircine glee on a a hateful screen morbid thoughts from within foul verbigeration posing as prose Are carpenters and sculptors hewn from the same log Are the tentacles of the Mollusc as the horns of a ram
What brand is your poison bro? This rejoinder deserves at least a carton, in my view
There he stands His hands, Hidden from sights That men, who stood before him Might not behold How he trembles
There he stands Awkwardly, Like a fish Out of water, Longing, not for the penetrating rays Of light, of eyes But the dark slimy abode
There he stands Hidden in plain sight Behind dark glasses, Dodging peering eyes Like a hermit crab
There he stands Looking Not at others But away from all Perhaps, that none might ask Why he gallivants While Borno burns
There he stands Among others Too engrossed to mingle With my president, Buhari, of One Chance The prominent dullard From Duara
There he stands Alone In a crowd!
Comical PointB, I like you polemic poem.
One has to give it to the more cerebral TANoids (as opposed to the she-male skivvies who have no concept of how psyops should run), they do have a way with words
By the way, this interjection is simply to ask if you saw other pictures where he was not looking away
See the way this Aussie journo lampoons the President of the largest Black nation on earth?
Vibe was right for PM to hope for Goodluck charm
October 28, 2011
Julia Gillard greets Nigerian-Australian Emannuel Hart (in pink) and companion, as Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, and his wife, Patience, (in gold) look on. Photo: Penny Bradfield
SOMETIMES, when you're a bit down on your luck, a rare moment of radiance appears as if from the ether and lifts your whole day. And so it appeared to be when Prime Minister Julia Gillard found herself greeting the much bejewelled and marvellously named Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria, and his friends.
Jonathan, accompanied by his wife, Patience, and an official retinue ''of a cool 170 people!'' that wouldn't be out of place among the diamond-ear-studded homeboys who regularly surround rappers from, say, Harlem, fairly lit up Perth's Pan Pacific Hotel.
Gillard, who has been out of fortune in the polls of late, happily bathed in the infectious enthusiasm of Goodluck, Patience and their colleagues.
And why not? Jonathan had never been elected to a major public position in his life when he found himself standing in for the ailing former president, was declared President of Africa's most populous nation within 12 hours of the incumbent's death last year and then won an actual election, storming home with 77.7 per cent of what was said to be the valid vote.
Goodluck indeed. Gillard could hardly dream of such political munificence.
Whatever else might be said about the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, when the leaders of what was the British empire get together, there's no shortage of vibe.
Perth itself may not be quite as funky as, say, Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, where the last CHOGM was held. Nor might it have the languid colonial charm of Colombo, where the next meeting is scheduled, despite suggestions it might not be entirely suitable, considering concerns about recent atrocities in Sri Lanka's civil war.
CHOGM-goers with longer memories might recall the 1991 event in Harare, Zimbabwe, where Commonwealth leaders fawned over Robert Mugabe as a champion of African democracy. Zimbabwe is no longer a Commonwealth member and Mugabe is viewed widely these days as a brutal despot.
Indeed, Perth could be considered a tad boring by comparison … if it were not for the fact that the guardians of its splendid beaches are involved in a shoot-to-kill search for a great white shark.
And what nation but Australia could field the estimable Tim Mathieson to escort the spouses of the 50 or so Heads of Government (HOGs) around Perth's attractions?
Yesterday, at a rehearsal for this morning's official opening of the summit, Mathieson leapt into the role of sound system roadie for Gillard, blowing into the official microphone and mouthing the ritual ''one, two, one, two''. The microphone wasn't on. Perhaps somebody should have called Goodluck Jonathan and the Homeboys.
However we slice and dice this one, the fact remains that GEJ flew all the way to Australia with a groupie the size of a small primary school; while the Queen of England and David Cameron (British PM) travelled light (I have their itinerary stored somewhere). Now how does this read for comparison?
Politics / Re: Buhari Is Absent At Ongoing NEPAD Session At AU Summit - Newswirengr by TheOtherview: 3:32pm On Jun 13, 2015 
Good!
